Tuscan-inspired wine country estate of UC Davis arts patron listed at $26.5 million
A fantastic Tuscan-style Napa Valley estate owned by arts patron Maria Manetti Shrem is on the market for $26.5 million, according to Compass real estate firm.
Dubbed Villa Mille Rose because there are more than 2,500 roses on the grounds, the 19-acre private and gated compound sits in the heart of the Napa Valley at 7888 Money Road, Oakville CA. Oakville is home to Opus One, Silver Oak and other wineries.
“The villa, guest residences and manicured grounds offer the ultimate in sophisticated wine country living, embodying the perfect blend of grandeur, sophistication, elegance and privacy,” according to a fact sheet provided by Compass real estate agency.
Manetti Shrem, 76, the force behind getting Gucci accessories distributed into U.S. department stores, built the Oakville residence as a summer home in 1994. She use its vineyards and olive trees to make balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to sell on small scale, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Manetti Shrem has owned the property for 35 years.
“I like that there are only 300 residents in Oakville,” Manetti Shrem told the newspaper in a 2018 article. “There is a very country feeling. … My heart was set on having a place here from the moment I came to Northern California.”
She and her husband Jan, founder of an international book publishing firm and former owner of Clos Pegase Winery in Calistoga, made a $10 million gift to name a contemporary arts museum at UC Davis. In November 2016, the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art opened to a large gathering.
The wine country estate includes an 8,000-square-foot main residence, with 11 beds and 14 baths in all.
“Upon approaching the villa, visitors are immediately impressed by the scale and grandeur of this approximately 8,000 square foot residence,” according to the listing. “The pastel colors of the walls and terracotta red tiled roof are reminiscent of an authentic Tuscan-inspired home.”
The compound is a piece of Florence, Italy, Manetti Shrem’s hometown, in Oakville.
“Soaring French doors on both sides of the home open into a light-filled grand salon conducive to large scale indoor/outdoor entertaining,” the listing continues. “The beautifully detailed vaulted ceiling and two massive fireplaces are characteristic of the villa’s overall design style and attention to detail. In warmer weather, the floor-to-ceiling doors can be opened adjacent to the two intimate dining areas to maximize the views of the vineyards and surrounding mountains.”
The villa also features:
▪ A 4,000-bottle wine cellar
▪ A large swimming pool
▪ Guest residences
▪ Caretaker’s cottage
▪ Horse stables and two barns
▪ A four-car garage
▪ 350 Tuscan varietal olive trees that have produced gold medal olive oil
▪ 102 large, decorative Sevilliano varietal olive trees that are 80 years old
▪ 100 fruit trees
▪ 6.5 acres of Bordeaux varietal vineyards
The listing agents are Andy Ardila and David Costello of Compass. The property was most recently listed on December 18, 2020.
Villa Milla Rose was designed by Dante Bini. The interior designer was done Steven Volpe.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
